Certain situations and climates can make installing standard air conditioning units impractical, expensive, or difficult, and many consumers often turn to portable cooling solutions, such as portable air conditioners, to beat the summer heat. Portable air conditioners are great alternatives to window or wall mounted air conditioners or even as a supplement to existing central air conditioning systems because they are mobile and do not require permanent installation. Therefore, these cooling devices are excellent for apartment buildings that do not allow window units or houses with windows that cannot adequately accommodate permanently installed window air conditioning units, as well as for keeping server room temperatures stable. of the computer.
In general, portable ACs work much like traditional air conditioning systems, but have the added benefit of being fully portable and mobile. Both the hot and cold sides of the air conditioning cycle are contained in the shell, and the condenser coil is cooled by room air. An exhaust hose then expels the heat and the water condenses out of the air. At that point, depending on the unit, the water is either collected in an internal drain bucket or mostly evaporated using automatic evaporation technology. Also, as a bonus, because portable air conditioners cool the air through the refrigeration cycle, they remove moisture from the air and are therefore great for those who live in climates with high humidity levels.
With summer approaching and many of us already experiencing rising temperatures, our product team has been testing a variety of portable air conditioners and rating them on their features, power, and ability to cool. One of the most advanced models we came across was the NewAir ACP-1400H, and in addition to its powerful motor, what really impressed us was the fact that it was truly a multifunctional appliance, offering a portable air conditioner, heater, and even air purifier. air in a compact, easy-to-use unit.
We tested the NewAir ACP-1400H portable air conditioner in the 400-square-foot living room of our product editor’s home on a scorching Southern California afternoon. Here are the details of our test:
At first sight
At first glance, we were surprised by the design of this portable air conditioner. It was compact, weighing 77 pounds, and sported a unique square-shaped design that we had never seen before. In fact, it fit nicely in the corner of the room and didn’t get in the way at all. As for its portability, it came with wide swivel casters and we were able to move it from room to room without a problem.
cooling capacity
Many portable air conditioner manufacturers today exaggerate the cooling capacity of their units, and we’ve been wary of such claims with every portable air conditioner we’ve been testing. Fortunately, we were able to contact NewAir directly and they assured us that the NewAir ACP-1400H portable air conditioner had a verified 14,000 BTUs. Additionally, NewAir stated that this unit would be capable of adequately cooling a 400 square foot room, and we found this to be true. In fact, we think this portable air conditioner would even provide enough cooling for a small study.
noise levels
The NewAir AC-1400H had a decibel rating of less than 54 decibels, and was supposed to be quieter than normal conversation. We left the unit running at high speed with the TV on and were not disturbed. Additionally, this portable air conditioner actually comes with three fan speeds and a sleep mode feature that would make it ideal for use in the bedroom.
Condensate removal
Portable air conditioners are easy to maintain, but require initial venting and condensate removal. On older models, the condensate collects in a drain pan that needs to be emptied periodically, but newer models, including the NewAir ACP-1400H, use advanced auto-evaporation technology. This eliminates the need to empty pesky drain buckets, but keep in mind that if you live in a particularly humid area, you may need to get rid of this excess condensate from time to time. However, when we used this at our Southern California test location, we really didn’t have to worry about this.
Additional characteristics
The really standout feature (or features, rather) of the NewAir ACP-1400H is the fact that it combines four different devices into one. When not in air conditioning mode, this unit also functioned as a dehumidifier or air circulator, and for the colder months, it could be used as a space heater. Additionally, this portable air conditioner came with a built-in air purifier complete with a washable air filter for large particles, ionizer for small particles, and an activated carbon filter for nuisance odors.
Overall, we were really impressed with the NewAir ACP-1400H’s features and performance. While it’s a little more expensive than some other units we tested, we felt that due to its multi-functionality, the higher price tag was worth it.
